The Baltimore Ravens snagged a wild 34-31 victory against the Dallas Cowboys down in Brazil on Sunday, but let me tell you, that win came at a brutal cost. They lost *two* centers to injury in that game, and now, they’ve got exactly zero centers left on their roster. ZERO! This isn’t just a bump in the road, this is an unexpected crisis at a key offensive position, and it happened in one game.
Two Starters Down, One Rookie Up
It all started when Jovaughn Gwyn, the starting center, went down with an ankle injury in the second half. That’s rough, but hey, you’ve got depth, right? Well, Ethan Pocic stepped in, but he wasn’t on the field for long at all. Pocic suffered a knee injury himself, knocking him out of the game too. Just like that, both guys were gone. Coach Jesse Minter confirmed Monday that both Gwyn and Pocic are expected to be out for “a little bit long term.” That’s not just bad news, that’s a total gut punch for the O-line, putting the Ravens in a serious bind.
With no centers left, the team had to pull out all the stops. They shuffled the offensive line, making the call to shift rookie Vega Ioane from right guard to center. That move, of course, left a huge hole at right guard, which Andrew Vorhees eventually filled. It was a scramble, pure and simple, and it highlights how quickly things can fall apart.
Rookie Vega Ioane Steps Into the Fire
So, with Gwyn and Pocic sidelined for the foreseeable future, what’s the plan? After watching Ioane play a “solid game” against the Cowboys, it sounds like the Ravens are rolling with the rookie at center, at least for this week’s game against the Titans. Minter stated, “As we sort through making our roster better over the next couple of days, he’ll prepare to play that position.” Ioane, who was the 14th overall pick in the draft this year, was an All-America offensive lineman at Penn State, but here’s the kicker: he played less than 20 snaps at center during his *entire* four-year college career. Talk about being thrown into the deep end!
He did take a few practice snaps recently, so he wasn’t completely clueless when his number was called. Ioane himself had the right mindset, saying, “Be ready for when your number’s called. It’s unfortunate how it happened, but you just got to step up and be ready for the moment.” That’s the kind of grit you need, especially when your team is in a mess like this.
A Short-Term Fix with Long-Term Questions
Putting Ioane at center this week is a wild short-term solution, no doubt. Minter even hinted that they “may add a piece or two from losing a couple of guys,” which tells you they know they’re walking a tightrope. The real question is what happens after the Titans game. If Ioane keeps playing well, maybe he sticks, but the Ravens are definitely going to be looking for a longer-term fix to this absolute center nightmare. Can the rookie hold down the fort against Tennessee? We’re all watching to see if this gamble pays off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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